UKALL 2011

Children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) or a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) called lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL), are usually given chemotherapy made up of several drugs in different combinations, but chemotherapy can be harsh, particularly in children. For this reason, doctors are looking for ways to find better and kinder treatments for children with blood cancer. This trial builds on the success of a previous trial called UKALL 2003 which tested how risky a child’s cancer was, and tailored treatment according to this.

In this study researchers are exploring different ways to use standard drugs to find better treatment methods for children who have ALL or LBL. Researchers want to see if using standard drugs in slightly different ways can treat children with blood cancer but in a way that is kinder with fewer side effects. For example, doctors might try and use a higher dose of a drug for a shorter period of time and vice versa. They will also see whether new treatment combinations can reduce the risk of the blood cancer returning.

Researchers will see if using standard treatments in different ways can reduce both treatment side effects and the risk of children seeing their cancer return in childhood ALL and LBL